California Summer
by MaryC203
Summary: Dawson is living in CA, attending USC's summer program, and expanding his social horizons. When Joey shows up unexpectedly, they are forced to confront their feelings for each other. Will eventually be DJ. Please review!
1. Parental Concerns

"I think he's making a mistake." Mitch Leery looked sternly at his wife, Gale, and tightened his grip on the empty can of Budweiser he was holding, crushing it. Gale bit her lip and shrugged.

"California is on the other side of the country. He wants to be closer to his family—" Mitch cut her off, slamming his beer can down onto the table.

"Bullshit! This is about Joey Potter and you know it. I don't know what she said to him tonight, and frankly, I don't care, but she's holding him back, Gale."

"Mitch," Gale reached out to touch his arm, which he pulled back. "Joey is a sweet girl, and Dawson loves her very much."

"She walks all over him. Pulls him in different directions. Plays mind games with him. Uses him," Mitch said angrily. "She's been doing it since they were seven years old." His eyes flashed with anger. "She dumped him," he spat out, "for his _best _friend. Left him crying like a little girl on the dock while she ran off on a boat to fuck Pacey, or whatever the hell it is they were doing, for three totally unchaperoned months—" Gail stood up and began clearing the empty beer cans and bowl of chips and dip from the table.

"That's enough, Mitch," she said coldly. Mitch put an arm on her shoulder.

"Hear me out," he demanded. Gail rolled her eyes and reluctantly took her seat. "She dumped him, humiliated him, and now she has the nerve to ask him to forgo _college_ because she doesn't think she can handle it without using him as her crutch?! She doesn't want him, Gale. She just can't stand the idea that he won't be following her around like a puppy dog for the next four years."

"I'm not happy about his decision, either," Gale said. "But Worthington is an excellent school. And they have a great film school. It's closer to home—"

"It's not USC. The film school doesn't even compare. He's shortchanging himself, Gale. I want the best for our son. And unfortunately, I think the best thing for him would be to make a clean break from Joey." Gale lowered her eyes and buried her face in her hands.

"I just don't know what to say about this. I'm trying to be supportive of our son. I know how you feel about Joey. Believe me, I know. I'm not thrilled with the way she's treated him in the past year, either. But Dawson loves her, and I think that deep down, she loves him, too. She's just confused. She has so many problems in her life—"

"Problems that aren't Dawson's," Mitch interrupted. "I'm tired of seeing him agonize over Joey's problems. Literally making himself physically sick from the stress of her complicated life. He's 18 years old. He has enough problems of his own without feeling obligated to solve all of Joey's."

"I know." Gale squeezed Mitch's hand and looked up at him. "I just don't think that staying nearer to home is the worst thing that could happen to him." Mitch stood up quickly, clenching his fists in rage.

"He's going to USC, Goddammit," he snarled. "Being accepted to this program has been his dream since he was five years old. And I'm not going to stand by and watch him throw it away for Joey Potter."


	2. Confrontation

Standing on Joey's porch, Dawson took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure. His face was hot with anger, sadness, and anxiety. His eyes were welling up with tears, and he was concentrating on not letting them fall. He felt sick to his stomach as Joey answered the door with a faint smile.

"Dawson," she said, and noticing his obvious discomfort, her face fell. She stood in between Dawson and the doorframe, not willing to let him in. Dawson could see the pain and the fear in her eyes. She knew what was coming.

"Joey. I've been talking to my parents about this for the past three hours, and now I need to talk to you," he stammered, looking her in the eye and reaching for her hand. She drew it back, guarded, eyeing him suspiciously, a tear trickling down her cheek. "I… I can't let this opportunity get away from me, Jo" he said. "USC film school is my dream. Movies are my life. You know that." Joey stared at him coldly, choking back tears.

"I thought I was your life," she spat out. She rolled her eyes and her lips curved into a hateful, sarcastic half-smile. "But obviously, I was wrong. I'm not good enough for you. The convict's daughter just can't compare with some pretentious, hot shot Hollywood pipe dream." Dawson's brow furrowed and he felt a stab of fury. He remembered Mitch's words during the talk they'd had just an hour before. _Don't let her make you feel guilty for pursuing your dreams,_ Mitch had told him. _You're not wronging her, Dawson. I know you care about her very much, but don't let her paint you as the bad guy because_ she_ refuses to respect your decision._ Before Dawson could control himself, he felt of the anger, all of the disappointment and pain from the previous summer up until that very moment come spilling out.

"You _were _my life, Joey. Until you dumped me like a sack of shit to be with my best friend. I know this is cliché, but I can't keep making you a priority when, to you, I'm only an option. And clearly not even your first option."

Joey smirked snidely, wiping the tears off of her face with the back of her hand before retorting, "Nice line, Elizabeth. I think I read that in a Sweet Valley Twins book in the fifth grade."

Dawson's nostrils flared in anger as he continued his rant. "_Dammit,_ Joey!! You know, I can't believe you're even putting me in this position. Asking me not to go to college because you don't want to lose me?? Have you lost your fucking mind?! You're like this perpetual victim. You can't possibly be happy for me because you're so preoccupied with how this affects YOU." Joey stared at him with her mouth open in surprise. She'd never seen Dawson so outraged, displaying such raw emotion. "And how dare you… how _dare _you, refer to my life's passion as a 'pipe dream?" He took a deep breath and tried to regain some his composure before speaking again.

"And finally, Joey, I honestly can't fathom why the idea of my proverbial departure from your life scares you so much. Because you lost me a long time ago. The minute you left me to be with Pacey, you lost a part of me that you can never get back." With that, he locked his eyes with hers, gleaming with fury and stinging with tears. "Goodbye, Joey," he said quietly, turning and walking back to his Explorer. As soon as he was safely within the confines of his car, with the doors shut and locked, he bowed his head, resting it on the steering wheel. The music from the Dave Matthews Band Live In Central Park CD that Joey had given him for his birthday swelled through the speakers, drowning out his sobs.


	3. Girl Talk

Joey stood behind the front door of the B&B in shock for a few seconds after Dawson walked away. Her cheeks burned and tears blurred her vision. She couldn't believe that Dawson had said those things to her. It was definitely a side of him she'd never seen before. She'd seen him angry, hurt, confused, but never like this. It scared her.

She sauntered into her room and sat down in a rocking chair near the window, contemplating the events of the past day and what had just happened. She remembered climbing through Dawson's window that night, meaning to tell him goodbye. Instead, she had inadvertently exposed her deepest secret: that she was terrified of what would happen when he left.

There was a knock at the door and Joey felt a surge of excitement. Dawson had come back to apologize. She got up, wiped the tears off of her face, and quickly made her way to the door, smiling brightly. Her face fell when she recognized that the person standing on her porch was Jen Lindley.

Jen raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Okay. I'm not a body language expert or anything, but I'm pretty sure that you're not excited to see me," she said. "I'll come back later." She turned to leave, and the breezy plaid sundress that she was wearing twirled around her legs.

"No, no… you can stay," Joey said, grabbing Jen's arm and forcing a smile. "I was just expecting… someone else." Jen nodded and grinned.

"Ahh… let me guess: Dawson." Joey shrugged.

"Yeah. We kind of had an argument." She opened the door wider, inviting Jen in, and led Jen to her room where they sat down on the bed.

"So, what's going on between you and our golden boy?" Jen asked, looking both concerned and amused. Jen was used to Joey and Dawson's drama. She was just glad that this time, it didn't involve her. At least, she hoped it didn't. Joey picked up a stuffed penguin and held it to her chest as she explained the situation.

"I went to say goodbye to Dawson, and I ended up saying more than that," she began.

"Meaning??" Jen prodded.

"I told him I want him to stay," Joey muttered. "And while I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, it was to me. I've never felt so vulnerable with Dawson." She stroked the penguin absentmindedly and her eyes met Jen's. "It's just that it's always been hard for me to express my true feelings for him," she continued. "Usually because even I don't understand them." Joey laughed nervously. "You really don't have to listen to this whole dramatic mess," she told Jen. "It's pretty complicated."

Jen shook her head. "I don't mind. Joey, you're my best girl friend. The only one that I've had in a really long time, actually. And I want to be there for you. In fact, I'm amazed that you're letting me!" They shared a smile and Joey realized that she was actually grateful for Jen's company.

"Okay. Well, I don't know what I feel for Dawson. I mean, I've known since we were in middle school that I love him. But am I in love with him? The line between the two constantly blurs," Jen nodded supportively. "When I told Dawson I wanted him to stay, I was telling him something really personal that I didn't think I'd ever have the courage to say out loud," Joey confessed. "And when he kissed me, for once I felt like expressing my deepest feelings might have actually been worth the potential fallout." Jen's eyes widened in excitement and surprise.

"He kissed you?!" she exclaimed. Joey nodded, biting her lip and giving a small smile.

"And I knew that Mr. and Mrs. Leery would never let him stay, but just for that second I felt like there was hope." She brushed a strand of hair away from her face and kept talking. "He actually told me that he was going to talk to his parents about deferring his admission," she announced. "Obviously, deep down I knew that the Leerys would never go for that, and I understand. I mean, it's ridiculous for him to pass up an opportunity to achieve his dream. I also knew that it was incredibly selfish for me to even HOPE it could happen, but… I don't know. I just…" her voice trailed off. Jen placed a hand gently on top of Joey's shoulder.

"It's okay to hope. You love him and you're scared of losing him. That's completely understandable," she assured her.

"Well, when he came by tonight to tell me that he was going, I felt humiliated because I shared my deepest fear with him basically for nothing. So, I put my guard back up and I said some really hurtful things to him, he said things back to me, mainly about my relationship with Pacey, and now it's just a total mess." Joey realized that she had started to cry again, and she rolled her eyes, embarrassed.

"It wasn't for nothing, Joey," Jen said calmly, handing her a box of Kleenex from the bedside table. "He knows how you feel about him now. And, yeah, he was deeply hurt by the whole Pacey thing and it might take some time for him to get over it. But he will. I know he still cares about you."

Joey shook her head. "I just don't know. He told me that I lost him a long time ago, when I went sailing with Pacey, and that I can never get him back."

"Shh," Jen said. "He's upset, Joey. He said things he didn't mean, just liked you did. If you want him back, you can get him back. I know that you two have a somewhat complicated history, and that it's been a rough couple of years for you, and maybe your friendship has suffered a little bit. But, Joey, everyone can see that he's still head over heels in love with you."

"Do you really think so?" Joey asked uncertainly.

"As much as I hate to admit it, yes." Jen stood up and smoothed her dress down. "Look, Joey, I know we haven't always been the best of friends—" Joey let out a small chuckle. "But it means a lot to me that you opened up to me, and I want you to know that I'm here for you if you need me." Joey wrapped her arms around Jen in a hug.

"Thanks, Jen. Thanks for being here," she said awkwardly. She never was good with the whole emotional thing.

"I brought you something," Jen said, holding out a brightly wrapped box decorated with a silver bow. "It's not much, just a little graduation present." Joey unwrapped the box to reveal a framed picture of herself, Dawson, Pacey, and Jen taken the summer before 10th grade. They were on the beach, and she was on Dawson's back, his arms looped through her long, gangly legs, and hers around his neck.

"Wow. This is a great picture," she breathed, remembering the exact moment it was taken. She giggled as she recalled smugly suggesting that Pacey stand next to Dawson so there wouldn't be a height difference… _I mean, you can't have a dwarf next to Dawson. He's six feet tall, _she heard herself saying. She blushed, remembering how hateful she'd been to Jen that summer. Jen must have read her mind.

"Don't worry, Joey. This dwarf doesn't have any hard feelings about the past," she announced. Both girls laughed. "Wow. I never imagined that we would actually end up being friends."

"Um, I never thought I'd say this, but… I'll miss you," Joey admitted.

"Well, I've decided to go to Boston Bay, so I'll actually be close!" Jen exclaimed. "See you around?"

"See ya," Joey said, smiling to herself as Jen left. She looked at the picture again and sighed.

"I want you back, Dawson" she murmured to herself. Suddenly, Joey knew what she had to do.


	4. New Neighbor

Dawson watched as Mitch's rental car pulled out of the apartment complex's parking lot. Mitch honked the horn several times and he drove away, waving as he disappeared down the street. When the car was no longer visible, Dawson retreated into his new apartment. He reclined on the couch, enjoying the cool breeze that the ceiling fan whipped throughout the room.

They'd started moving in at 5 am, and it had required every ounce of energy that Dawson had. The entire time, Mitch had been congratulating Dawson on making the "right decision," which just reminded Dawson of the fight he'd had with Joey. He wanted to call her, but he knew that she didn't have a cell phone and after the things he'd said to her, he was afraid of calling the house and being chewed out by a furious and protective Bessie. On the other hand, he'd said exactly what he felt. And Joey wasn't entirely without fault. He felt his face get heated as he remembered her comment about his "pipe dream." He had a splitting headache, and remembering the fight was making it worse. Dawson took two Tylenol and lay down on the couch again, lacking the energy to get in his bed. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was only 4 pm. He closed his eyes, drifting in and out of consciousness and wishing that he could hear the gentle lapping of the creek against the dock outside of his house in Capeside.

Suddenly, Dawson was awakened by a jarring knock at the door. He groaned and looked at the clock. He'd been asleep for 4 hours. Dawson got off of the couch and looked through the peephole to see a short, blonde girl. He opened the door.

"Hi!" the girl exclaimed. She was about 5'2" with suntanned skin, a white blonde bob, and clear green eyes. She wore a UCLA Cheerleading T-shirt with a cutoff jean skirt and flip flops. "I'm Kirby," she said, extending her hand. "I live next door, in Apartment B, and I saw that you just moved in, so I thought I'd introduce myself.

"Dawson Leery," Dawson said, smiling. Kirby seemed nice. She kind of reminded him of Jen. And she took his mind off of Joey, which was nice. It would be great to have a group of friends here. _Friends,_ he reminded himself. The last thing he needed was to get hung up on some girl and possibly get involved in another relationship.

"So, Dawson," Kirby said. "What brings you to LA? Are you an aspiring movie star?" Dawson chuckled.

"Not exactly. I'm a film student. I'm starting the summer program at USC in two weeks." Kirby's eyes lit up.

"Wow! Impressive!" Dawson pointed to her shirt.

"Are you a UCLA cheerleader?" he asked with interest.

"Used to be. I actually transferred to SC for the fall semester. I had an injury and had to quit cheering." Dawson looked sympathetic.

"I'm sorry. Well, do you want to come in?" Kirby shook her head.

"No, my roommates and I were actually about to go grab a bite to eat. Would you like to join us?" Dawson's stomach growled and he realized he hadn't eaten all day. _That's probably why I feel like shit,_ he thought to himself.

"That sounds great," he told Kirby. "Is it okay if I jump in the shower first and then meet you there?"

"Of course! Take your time. We'll be at LaFonda Mexican Restaurant."

"LaFonda… I think I saw that on the way in," Dawson replied.

"Yea, it's right around the corner. You can't miss it. That's where we all hang out," Kirby said. "They have great margaritas, and they don't card!" Kirby winked and began to give him directions. "Just take a right out of the complex and then make an immediate left and you'll see it. It can get pretty out of control, so make sure you can handle it!"

Dawson made a mental note of the directions and assured Kirby that he could handle it before saying goodbye. He liked her. She seemed sweet, outgoing, fun, and the complete opposite of Joey, which might be exactly what he needed right now. He got into the shower and washed his hair, savoring the clean, refreshing feeling of the water. _Moving really sucks,_ Dawson thought. As he got out of the shower, he heard his cell phone beep. His heartbeat quickened as he picked it up and saw that he had missed a call from Joey. The phone gave a special ring, indicating that he had a new voice message. He punched in his password and listened.

Silence. Then he heard the unmistakable click of Joey hanging up the phone. Disappointed, Dawson put his phone in the pocket of his jeans and headed out the door.


	5. Surprise

When Dawson walked into LaFonda, he was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere. Rainbow Christmas lights were the sole source of lighting in the otherwise dim restaurant, and upbeat music played at a comfortable, but not too loud, volume from the speakers. It was filled with college students, and there was a talking parrot in a cage in the foyer. He spotted Kirby and her friends at a table near the karaoke stage, where a DJ was setting up his equipment for that night's performers. Kirby waved and called out his name and he walked towards them.

Kirby was sitting in between two guys. On the left was a tan, blonde, male version of Kirby. He wore a button down Oxford with khaki shorts and sandals. The other one was tall and athletic looking, with a deep tan and wavy, light brown hair. He was wearing a tight fitting Abercrombie and Fitch T-shirt with plaid shorts.

"Dawson, I'm glad you made it!" Kirby exclaimed. "This is my brother, Trent, and our roommate Greg. Trent, Greg, this is our new neighbor, Dawson Leery." Trent and Greg smiled and welcomed him to the table.

"Kirby and I cheered together at UCLA," Greg, the one in the Abercrombie gear, explained. Trent ordered a pitcher of margaritas for the table and patted Dawson on the back. "Welcome to LA, man," he said.

"So, Dawson, Kirby says you're from Massachusetts," Greg said. "Tell me, do you have a lucky lady back home?" Dawson was slightly taken aback by Greg's question. _Is he hitting on me?_ He wondered.

"Actually, I'm not sure. I thought I did," he replied, remembering Joey's attempt to contact him earlier that evening.

"What do you mean?" Kirby asked, leaning forward.

"There's this girl, she's been my best friend literally all my life," he said. "Her name's Joey, and she's just a really amazing girl. And lately we've been… a little more than friends, I guess you could say—" Trent cut him off.

"Wait, so… you're, like, fucking her?" he asked. Dawson's eyes widened.

"What?!" he asked, incredulously. "No! Joey and I are just really… special friends," he said. He was immediately embarrassed by his choice of words. _Special friends?! God, how juvenile. _"I mean…"He was flustered. Kirby laughed.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Trent, control yourself! Show some respect for this girl." Dawson offered a weak smile and continued his story.

"Anyway, she didn't want me to leave Massachusetts. We got into a huge fight before I left and I haven't spoken to her since. So to answer your question, Greg, I guess we are just friends now. If we're even that."

"Awww, that's sad," Kirby said, poking out her bottom lip. "So, Dawson," she asked with interest. "Just out of curiosity, was Joey a cheerleader?" Dawson laughed out loud.

"My God, Kirby! You've got to get over your obsession with cheerleading," Trent exclaimed. "Believe it or not, most people think it's stupid." Kirby opened her mouth in objection.

"Hey!" she warned Trent. "That's not true. And cheerleading is a hardcore sport. We have more injuries every year—"

"I know… I know… more injuries than football," Trent finished. Kirby smiled proudly.

"So was she? A cheerleader?" she asked again.

"That's a definite negative," Dawson said. "Jo is like the anti-cheerleader." Kirby looked disappointed.

"So… we're like, total opposites," she murmured.

"Well, yeah, kind of. But that's not always a bad thing," Dawson answered. "Joey's not exactly optimisitic. I mean, in a lot of ways, I'M her opposite. But, God, I miss her."

Trent handed Dawson a margarita. "Drink up, man," he said. "It'll make you forget all about Joey. I promise." Dawson accepted it happily.

"Okay, Dawson, we're here!" Dawson got out of the backseat of Kirby's Land Rover and watched as Trent pulled into the parking space next to them, driving Dawson's car. Trent tossed Dawson's keys to Kirby.

"Make sure he gets into his apartment okay," he instructed. Kirby nodded and put a slender arm around Dawson's waist, supporting him as he staggered towards his apartment.

"I feel like crap," he moaned, squeezing his eyes shut to stop his drunken illusion that everything was spinning.

"I know… it's okay. We're almost there," Kirby said. "At least you're not puking everywhere. You should have seen me after my first night at LaFonda. It's easy to get carried away there."

Dawson winced. "Believe me, it's coming. I just don't want to suffer the indignity of having you witness it."

Kirby laughed and unlocked the door to his apartment and the two of them walked inside.

"I had fun tonight," she said. "And please don't worry about anything. I know you're embarrassed, but I promise you, this is so not a big deal."

"Thanks for everything, Kirby. I'm really glad I met you," he said. He walked into the bedroom and Kirby followed him.

"Do you need anything before I go?" she asked. Suddenly Dawson felt a wave of nausea.

"Get me a clean T-shirt from the closet," he choked out. "I think I'm about to start puking my guts out." Kirby sprung into action and opened the closet as Dawson started to lean over the sink. Suddenly, he heard Kirby let out an ear piercing scream. He jumped up and ran into the bedroom to see a horrified Kirby staring at Joey Potter, who was sitting on the floor of his closet.

"Jesus Christ!!" Dawson exclaimed. "Joey! How did you…?" Suddenly his face paled. "Excuse me," he mumbled, before turning around and vomiting into an empty moving box.

"I'm gonna get going," Kirby said awkwardly, hightailing out of the apartment. Joey glared at Dawson, who looked equally mortified and confused.

"Surprise," she said dryly.


	6. Friends?

Dawson awoke to see Joey sitting next to him in his bed, wearing one of his old Universal Studios T-Shirts and reading the paper. A beam of sunlight shone through the window and directly into his eyes. He moaned and pulled the sheets up over his head.

"Good morning, Casanova," Joey said, fixing her blue-green eyes on him stonily.

"Jo," he said. "We need to talk." Joey folded her paper and put it on the bedside table before standing up.

"A date?" she asked. "You're here for less than 24 hours and you go out on a _date_?! I don't know whether to be impressed or disgusted," she sneered.

"Calm down. Kirby is just a friend. I promise. She lives next door and we went out with her roommates so that I could meet the neighbors."

Joey rolled her eyes. "Right," she said sarcastically. "I shouldn't have come." She started to leave but Dawson reached out and touched her arm.

"Don't say that," he urged. "I'm so glad you're here, Jo. You have no idea. I thought I'd lost you," he said quietly. "I went out with Kirby and her roommates to take my mind off of you, because I was so miserable I couldn't function," he admitted.

Joey softened and he saw the beginnings of a smile on her face. "Normally, I would be so mad at you right now. I don't know if it's just how pathetic you looked last night or how badly I want to save this friendship, but for some reason I just can't find it in myself to be furious with you." Dawson was blushing as he listened intently. Joey twisted a strand of hair around her finger self consciously. "After our fight, I talked to Jen and she helped me realize that holding you back was wrong, but letting you go would be the biggest mistake of my life," Joey continued. She looked at Dawson, who was smiling. "So, I used my graduation money to book a flight to LA," she explained.

"Joey, you didn't have to do that," Dawson said gently.

"No, Dawson. I did. If not for you, then for me. I couldn't let things between us end like that." She tucked a strand of dark brown hair behind her ear and continued. "I talked to your parents about it, and surprisingly, they understood. I thought they'd never forgive me for asking you to stay in Capeside," she laughed nervously. "Your mom gave me directions to your apartment and an extra key… and I thought I would surprise you. Obviously, that was a mistake." Her gaze drifted over to a suspicious looking stain on the carpet and she smirked, taunting him. Dawson looked at it, horrified.

"Oh, my God," he said, embarrassed. "Jo, believe me, that was not how I wanted to greet you!"

Joey shrugged. "No biggie. It's not the first time I've seen you barf and I'm sure it won't be the last." She and Dawson laughed awkwardly.

"I'm really glad you're here," Dawson said. "And I'm so sorry for everything that happened between us.."

"I'm the one who should be apologizing," Joey said. "I just didn't want to lose my best friend. I was so scared, and when you told me you were going I just… I guess it was all an act to cover up the fact that I felt like my heart was breaking…" she stopped herself and looked up at him.

"I could break your heart?" Dawson teased.

"Dawson," Joey's voice caught in her throat. "You're the_ only_ one who could." She cracked her fingers nervously. "Can we just put that stupid fight behind us? We both hurt each other so much, and I wish we could take it back. Whatever issues we had, they aren't worth losing you. At least not to me." Dawson reached out and took her hand.

"Nothing is worth losing each other for," he agreed. Joey climbed back into the bed next to Dawson and curled up against him. "I realized something on the plane, Dawson," she told him. "Our friendship is never going to be easy, and it's never going to be perfect. And a substantial part of that is because it's so deep. And I just want you to know that it means more to me than anything in the world."

"Me too," Dawson agreed. "You know what? I propose that we just completely start over. From here on out, we have a clean slate."

"That sounds good to me," Joey said. Dawson smiled.

"Good. I didn't even ask you, how long are you staying?" Joey grinned.

"The whole summer. Bessie's shipping my things later this week." Dawson let out a shriek of excitement and wrapped Joey in a hug.

"Joey," he said. Joey looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Dawson." Dawson rested his head on her chest and she stroked his hair gently.

"So, friends again?" Joey asked.

"Friends," Dawson confirmed. As they sat on the bed, hands intertwined, both of them wondered if they could really just be friends again. Or if they wanted to be more.


	7. Meeting the Enemy

Later that afternoon, Joey was unpacking the few belongings that she'd managed to fit in her airline luggage while Dawson napped in his room. She took the picture that Jen had given her out of a bag and put it on the middle shelf of the built in bookshelf in her room. Next, she unpacked a photo of herself with her mother, followed by one of Dawson and Joey on the first day of kindergarten. She arranged them on either side of the picture from Jen and stepped back to survey her work. Satisfied, she reached into her suitcase for some clothes when she heard someone knocking on the door.

Joey opened the door to see Kirby, dressed in a light blue Juicy Couture velour track suit.

"We didn't really get a chance to introduce ourselves last night," Kirby said awkwardly. "I'm Kirby." Joey forced a smile.

"I know. I'm Joey."

"Dawson told me all about you last night," Kirby said in an attempt to start a friendly conversation. She could already tell that Joey didn't like her.

"Really," Joey shifted uncomfortably and wondered what sorts of things Dawson had said about her. She remembered the experience on his 16th birthday and frowned. Alcohol for Dawson was like a truth serum. Joey tried to hide her nervousness.

"Don't worry. It was mostly good," Kirby told her. She smiled expectantly and Joey realized that she was waiting to be invited in. She stepped aside.

"Come in," she said. "Sorry, it's kind of a mess."

"No, it's fine!! You should see our apartment," Kirby said. "So, you came to visit Dawson?" she asked, as she followed Joey into her room.

"No, actually, I'm living with him for the summer," she clarified. Kirby was visibly surprised, almost taken aback.

"Oh… lucky you!!" Kirby's green eyes sparkled and she winked at Joey as if they were sharing an inside joke. It made Joey uncomfortable. It was the type of thing Jen used to do, trying to get close to Joey by treating her like they were best friends. "Dawson didn't mention it," Kirby said.

"Well, it was a surprise," Joey told her. Kirby nodded thoughtfully.

"Joey, you'll have to come to LaFonda with us next week," she said. "It's so much fun. I wish you could have joined us last night." Joey sat down on her bed and began to flip through a magazine, trying to show her disinterest.

"Getting wildly inebriated and making a fool of myself is not really my thing," she told Kirby. "And it's not really Dawson's either—" Kirby headed over to Joey's bookshelf and started to look at the pictures.

"Is that your mom?" she asked, picking up the one of Joey and her mom in a field of wildflowers. Joey drew in her breath.

"She died when we were in middle school," she said crisply, getting up and moving over to the bookshelf to guard her pictures.

"Oh. I'm so sorry," Kirby said. "Well, she was really beautiful. She looks just like you." She set the picture down. "I lost my mother, too. Last year," she said, looking at Joey. Joey looked away. "If you ever want to talk to me about anything—"

"I hate to be rude, but is there a specific reason you visited? I'm kind of busy unpacking so if you need something---"

"Oh, gosh. Sorry, I just totally invited myself over. I came to check on Dawson. Is he here?" Kirby peeked around the corner to his room.

"Actually, he's still not feeling well, so you should probably come back another day—" Dawson walked out of his room wearing green and navy blue plaid pajama pants, no shirt, and glasses. His hair was tousled and there were a few wrinkles and indentations across his torso from the creases in his sheets.

"Hey," he said. "What's going on?" Joey looked startled.

"Dawson!" she said. "Um.. I thought you weren't feeling well?" She raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes, hoping he'd get the message that she wanted Kirby to leave. Of course, he didn't. Or he just chose to ignore it.

"I'm actually feeling a lot better," he said, walking into Joey's room. Joey sighed dejectedly and retreated back to her bed.

"I feel responsible for what happened last night," Kirby said to Dawson. "If there's anything I can do, just let me know."

"Well, actually there's a stain on the carpet in his room that needs to be cleaned up," Joey interjected. "Don't worry. I hear vomit isn't too difficult to remove if you use club soda."

"Um, I…" Kirby looked at Dawson awkwardly.

Dawson laughed, embarrassed "Don't mind Joey," he said, shooting Joey a glare. "Sarcasm is her best friend." Kirby noticed the hurt look flash across Joey's face. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her track jacket and forced a smile, her unnaturally white teeth gleaming.

"Well, I guess I'll get going. I'm glad you're feeling better, Dawson. And it was nice to officially meet you, Joey!"

"See ya," Dawson said. When Kirby was gone, he turned to Joey.

"What was that all about?" he asked. Joey shrugged. "I don't know, I just…" she couldn't tell him what she really thought. That Kirby reminded her so much of Jen when she'd first moved to Capeside. The pretty, bubbly, blonde new neighbor who didn't understand the complexity of Joey's relationship with Dawson. And that she was jealous.

"I know that you've never really been open to meeting new people. But Kirby is a really sweet girl," Dawson assured her. "And I really think if you give her a chance, the two of you will get along."

"I'm really worn out from unpacking," Joey told him. "I think I might just hit the sack." Dawson looked disappointed.

"Too tired for movie night?" he asked. Joey's eyes sparkled and she smiled brightly. Dawson hadn't forgotten!

"I'm never too tired for movie night! What are we watching?" Dawson walked into his room and climbed into the bed, patting the spot next to him.

"You'll see!" He pressed play on the remote and Joey leaned against his chest as the familiar theme to ET began to play.


	8. Not Just one of the Guys

Joey woke up to find herself nestled snugly against Dawson's chest, one arm strewn across his torso. He was gently stroking her hair while he watched Candid Camera on tv. The volume was turned off and he was reading the closed captioning. Joey lifted her head up and was mortified to discover that she had left a small puddle of drool on Dawson's chest. She quickly wiped her mouth.

"Ahh, Sleeping Beauty finally awakens," Dawson remarked playfully. He wiped the drool off of his chest with the sheets. "Thanks, Jo," he said. Joey smacked him with a pillow.

"Oh, shut up," she said. "What time is it?" Dawson looked over at his digital clock.

"Almost 8 pm," he told her. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving." Joey stretched and stood up. She picked up a photo album that Dawson had on his nightstand and began to flip through it, smiling as she looked at pictures of the two of them in Capeside, clowning around on the beach with Pacey and Jen, eating lunch at the Ice House for Joey's birthday, and graduating from high school.

"Kirby invited us to go out with them again tonight," Dawson said. "I think they're going to this new Italian place by campus." Joey put the photo album back and began to play with a strand of hair.

"Actually, I was kind of hoping we could do something with just the two of us," she said.

"Absolutely!" Dawson smiled, and Joey wondered if he was hoping it was a date. "I know things have been a little hectic since you got here," he said apologetically. "But I promise everything will be back to normal soon."

"Well, I'm going to get dressed," Joey said, walking into her room. "I'll be ready to go in about half an hour." Dawson snorted and laughed.

"Half an hour?! You're turning into a girl on me!" He took a blue and white striped button down out of his closet and laid it on the bed.

"Well, Dawson, in case you've failed to notice, I _am _of the female sex," Joey answered.

"Okay, Josephine," Dawson said. He noticed the angry expression on Joey's face and raised his eyebrows. "Don't take it the wrong way, Jo. It's just that, I like the way I can talk to you about anything, like one of the guys. And I don't want that to change," he said softly. Joey opened her mouth to respond, but didn't. She just smiled and walked into her room.

Once Joey had shut the door, she sat down in front of her vanity and slowly opened the drawer containing her limited supply of makeup. She pulled the Elle magazine that she'd been reading on the plane out of her backpack and flipped it to an advertisement for MAC makeup. After carefully studying the model in the ad, Joey selected a charcoal eyeliner and began to artfully recreate the smoky eyes that the model had, smudging the thick lines carefully and then sweeping dark, steel colored shadow across her lids. She completed the look with some peachy blush and nude lipgloss, and then looked up at her reflection. A smile spread across Joey's lips as she admired herself, satisfied and proud.

She took a dark gray tube top with pearl and silver beads across the top out of her closet and held it up to herself, studying it in the mirror. _Perfect_, she thought. Joey slipped off her T-shirt and shorts and took her jeans out of a drawer. Then, biting her lip, she opened her top drawer and selected a lacy black thong from Victoria's Secret that Jen had given her last year for her birthday. At the time, Joey had been humiliated by the gift, certain that Jen was mocking her, and had made a comment about how impractical it was. But now she smiled mischeviously, removing her usual full-seated cotton briefs and sliding the thong on.

"Jo, are you ready?" Dawson flung open the door and Joey let out a shriek and ducked behind her bed. "Whoa!" Dawson said, blushing. "Sorry, I…"

"Goddammit," Joey whispered to herself, hoping Dawson hadn't seen anything. "Just a minute!" she exclaimed. Dawson shut the door and Joey pulled on her jeans and the tube top and then put on a pair of black, strappy heels that she'd worn in the Miss Windjammer pageant and then never so much as looked at again. Joey brushed her hair and pulled it into a high ponytail, securing it with a black rubber band. Before leaving, she spritzed on some Clinique Happy and put in a pair of pearl earrings.

When she walked into the living room, Dawson was visibly impressed. He stood up and looked at her from head to toe, his mouth open in astonishment.

"Joey, I…" he cleared his throat. "You're wearing makeup," he finished awkwardly.

"I'm not just one of the guys, Dawson," Joey said. Dawson was speechless. He smiled and reached out to her, taking her hand in his.

"I know," he said. They looked at each other and for a moment, Joey thought he might kiss her. But Dawson broke her gaze and grabbed the door, holding it open for her.

"So, where do you want to go to dinner?" he asked. Joey tried to hide her disappointment, determined not to let herself be discouraged.

"How about LaFonda?" she asked. "I hear it's pretty fun." Dawson hesitated.

"LaFonda? It's kind of a… wild atmosphere," he told her. "I thought you were against underage drinking. I don't know if you'd like it." Joey giggled and grabbed his hand, leading him outside.

"Don't be embarrassed just because you overdid it last night," she said. "I'm in the mood to have some fun." Dawson laughed. He looked at her again, obviously pleased by what he saw.

"LaFonda it is!" he told her. "Get ready, Jo. I have a feeling you're in for quite a shock."

"Me too." Joey walked down the stairs towards Dawson's car, looking over her shoulder at him and smiling excitedly. Tonight, she would prove to Dawson that she was so much more than just one the guys.


	9. Straight Tequila Night

Dawson sipped his Dos Equis beer and watched Joey in astonishment. She looked amazing. She was looking at him, biting her lip flirtatiously and laughing. He'd never seen her come out of her shell this way.

"Wow, you really got all dressed up for me," he commented, grinning. Joey's eyes widened slightly and she opened her mouth as if to reply. _I made it too obvious,_ she thought to herself in disappointment and embarrassment.

"Pshh," she said dismissively. "Don't flatter yourself," she answered, hoping it sounded cool and calm enough to hide her self-consciousness. Dawson laughed.

"Okay," he said. "Well, you look good." Joey gave a small, humble smile, her eyes darting upwards to meet his. "So, what do you think of LaFonda?" he asked, practically shouting to be heard over the crowd of drunk, cheering patrons.

"I love it," Joey told him. She raised her margarita glass. "Here's to us," she said. "Dawson and Joey." Dawson clinked his beer bottle against her glass and took a sip. Joey looked at him, blushing. She excused herself to go to the restroom and Dawson signaled the waiter, ordering another round of drinks. When Joey returned to the table, she had a mischevious look on her face.

"What's going on?" Dawson asked. "You're up to something."

"And now, please welcome Joey and Dawson, performing one of my personal favorites, 'Daydream Believer!!!'" The karaoke DJ shouted into the microphone. Dawson stared at Joey, startled.

"You signed us up for karaoke?!" She looked back at him and raised an eyebrow as if taunting him. "No," he said emphatically, chuckling. "This is not happening." Joey grabbed his hand and tried to pull him toward the stage.

"Come onnn," she pleaded. "It's a tradition!" Dawson scoffed.

"At Aunt Gwen's house!" he countered. "Joey, this is a bar, filled with people who will probably be going to school with me next week. Potential for mortification is about a 9.8 on a scale of 1-10. It's completely different." Joey poked out her bottom lip and Dawson gave in.

"Fine," he said. "But you owe me!" He took a shot of tequila and followed Joey onto the stage. The other people in the restaurant clapped and cheered. A man in the front row whistled and shouted,

"Damn! That bitch is fine!" Dawson's nostrils flared as he shot the guy an angry glance, but when he looked at Joey she was grinning from ear to ear, enjoying the attention. It made Dawson feel weird to watch all of the guys in restaurant looking at Joey this way. The music started and Joey started to move back and forth, taking Dawson's hand as she began to sing. Dawson reluctantly joined in. As he performed with Joey, looking at the way she smiled at him, he remembered the last time they had performed the song together. It had been at Aunt Gwen's house, right before Joey dumped him for Pacey. He felt his face grow hot with embarrassment and anger from the hurtful memory and forced himself to stay positive. When they finished their performance, Joey gazed into his eyes, smiling widely.

"Thanks, Dawson," she whispered. Then, she kissed him softly on the lips. Dawson drew back, surprised, before cupping her face gently in his hand and kissing her back. The other customers at LaFonda cheered and whistled. Joey broke it off, her face flushed, and gave a small curtsy to the crowd, giggling as she made her way back to their table.

"I can't believe you convinced me to do that," Dawson told her. Joey leaned back in her chair and dipped a chip lazily into her margarita, popping it into her mouth and smiling. Dawson wrinkled his nose in disgust. "That's gross," he remarked. Joey looked offended.

"It is not! For your information, it happens to be delicious. Try it!"

"No, thanks. I think I'll stick to things that were actually meant to be eaten as dips." Joey rolled her eyes.

"Boring. Suit yourself." Dawson finished off his beer and caught her eye.

"Jo, what was that, on the stage?" he asked. "You kissed me." Joey blushed and looked down.

"Dawson, I…" she started to fidget and play with her hair, something she always did when she was nervous. "It was just a heat of the moment thing," she said quickly.

"Okay," Dawson responded. "Well, it's getting late." He took a $50 bill out of his wallet and dropped it on the table. "Are you ready?" Joey looked disappointed but quickly forced a smile.

"Yeah. Well, this was fun!" she said enthusiastically. Dawson nodded in agreement.

"We'll have to do it again sometime."

"Definitely."

As soon as they got back to the apartment, Dawson pulled out his binder of DVDs. "I'm about to watch Office Space," he told her. "Want to join me?" Joey smiled, raising an eyebrow in bewilderment.

"Office Space? That's an interesting choice," she remarked, letting her hair out of the ponytail and sauntering into his room.

"I'm in the mood for something different," he told her. Joey joined him on the bed as the movie started to play, shooting nervous glances in his direction.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said. Dawson looked concerned. "What I said earlier wasn't exactly true. When I kissed you, it wasn't just some spontaneous action," Joey continued. She looked at him hopefully.

"Joey…" he said. Joey pressed her lips into his, kissing him passionately.

"Dawson, I think that I'm in love with you," she admitted.


	10. Close Encounter

Dawson pulled back, surprised. Joey's eyes fixed on him, shining with newly forming tears.

"Joey, let's talk about this in the morning," he suggested. Joey furrowed her brow in anger.

"What's wrong with you?" she demanded. "Dawson, I'm in love with you. And I know you have feelings for me. Don't do this." She reached for his arm and looked up at him, pleading with her eyes. Dawson gave a slight chuckle and shook his head in frustration.

"Joey, I do have feelings for you. You know that. I probably always will." Joey looked unsatisfied.

"But?" she countered, challenging him.

"But I can't keep doing this!" he exclaimed. "I don't like games, Joey. You broke my heart. Twice. And I don't know if I'm ready to take that chance again."

"But you kissed me back!" Joey yelled. "You led me on! Is this some passive aggressive way to punish me for Pacey and Jack?"

"What?! No!" Dawson said, incredulous. "I did kiss you back, but it was completely impulsive." Joey's face crumbled and Dawson scrambled to console her.

"Joey, I love you," he said softly. Joey rolled her eyes and snorted sarcastically. "I do," Dawson affirmed. "And I don't want to hurt you—" Joey cut him off.

"Well that's exactly what you're doing. Good night, Dawson." She got up and walked into her room.

"Joey, wait!" Dawson said. Her door slammed. Dawson ran his hands through his hair, groaning in frustration. He heard Joey in her room, sobbing, but the noise was quickly drowned out by loud Maroon 5 music. A tear ran down Dawson's cheek and he brushed it away, embarrassed. He hadn't even realized that he had started to cry. He sank back onto his pillows and thought about the exchange they had just shared, recounting the conversation. He thought about Joey. How she had swallowed her pride to come crawling back to him, all the way to California. And he'd rejected her. Dawson leapt off of his bed and went to Joey's room. He turned to knob slowly. It was locked. Dejected, he started to walk away but turned around again and knocked.

"Just leave me alone, Dawson," Joey called. She picked up the bottle of tequila on her dresser and poured her third shot, cringing as the alcohol burned her throat. Drinking to ease her pain was not like her. This was something Jen would do, she thought to herself, ashamed. Dawson knocked again.

"I need to talk to you," he was saying. Joey opened the door, peeking her head out. When she did, Dawson kissed her… a long, romantic kiss that made her feel dizzy. Or maybe that was just the booze.

Dawson was taken aback by the strong taste of tequila on Joey's breath. It had been awhile since they got home from LaFonda. Joey pulled him towards her, and he sat down on her bed. She gazed at him, flirting with her eyes. The dark eye makeup that she had so carefully applied was now smudged under her eyes. Dawson took a Kleenex from her nightstand and gently wiped it away.

Joey kissed him, peeling her shirt off and throwing it to the ground. Dawson watched in amazement. This was so unlike her. She pulled his shirt off, as well, and placed one of his hands on her breast as she started to remove her underpants. Dawson smiled, aroused. The open bottle of tequila on Joey's dresser caught Dawson's eye and his smile changed to a serious expression as he gently removed his hand.

"What's wrong?" Joey slurred. "I know that you want me, Dawson."

"We can't do this right now," Dawson said. "You're drunk."

"Dawson, I want this," Joey said. She placed a hand on the wall to steady herself as it began to feel like she was spinning.

"I want this, too, Jo," Dawson assured her. "But not like this." He walked over to the dresser and put the cap back on the bottle of tequila, noticing the shot glass. "How much did you drink?" he asked, concerned.

"Some shots," Joey mumbled. She stood up to go to him and stumbled, falling on her ass.

"Whoaaa," Dawson said, helping her up. He blushed, noticing that she was naked. Dawson grabbed a towel from a hook on Joey's bathroom door and wrapped it around her. "Come on, Jo," he said, supporting her as they walked to his room.

When they got to his room, he helped Joey sit on his bed. He took one of his T-shirts out of his drawer and helped her put it on, and then gave her a pair of his boxers. He looked at her and noticed that she was crying.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"You don't want me," Joey said quietly. "I offered myself to you- again- and you don't want me." Dawson pulled her close to him and stroked her hair.

"Nothing could be further from the truth," he said. "I just can't take advantage of you when you're like this." As Joey continued to cry, Dawson rubbed her back and petted her hair. "Shhh," he whispered. "It's okay, sweetie." He kissed her on the cheek. "Let's lay down," he said, lying on his back and patting his bare chest. "Come lay on me." Joey rested her head on Dawson's chest as he continued to comfort her. About an hour later, Joey was sound asleep. Dawson sighed as he looked at her fragile body, in his clothes, draped across him. "I love you so much, Jo," he whispered.


	11. A Surprise for Jen

Jen Lindley swung open the screen door and stormed into the screen porch of Grams' house at 22 Seafare Lane. "This town is so fucking boring!" she muttered to herself, throwing her towel and sunscreen onto a wicker loveseat. She'd spent all morning laying out on the Leerys' dock, trying in vain to get a tan. Instead, she'd ended up with a splinter in her ass and about 50 mosquito bites. 

"Jennifah!" Grams gasped and looked up from her knitting, peering disapprovingly at Jen. "Please do not use such language in the presence of our Lord!" She pointed to a framed picture of Christ playing with a lamb and shook her head.   
"Grams!" Jen said, surprised. "I didn't know you were home." She pulled her curly, blonde hair into a ponytail, picked up a bulletin from last Sunday's church service, and began fanning herself with it. "I'm just so bored. So far, this summer vacation has been the antithesis of fun."   
"There's always the Vacation Bible School," Grams volunteered. "It's very rewarding, and they could really use some extra counselors." She smiled and handed Jen a brochure. The picture on the front was of a soccer-mom type wearing a VBS Counselor t-shirt and straw hat, listening to a praise band with a bunch of toddlers, and screaming in pleasure with her hands lifted towards the sky. _CHRIST- THE ULTIMATE ROCK STAR_, the caption announced. Jen laughed out loud.   
"No offense, Grams, but I don't think this is really my thing," Jen said. She handed the brochure back and sank into a large wicker rocking chair.   
"Well, it was worth a try," Grams said. "What are you doing for the rest of the afternoon?" Jen rolled her eyes.   
"I don't know. Probably sitting on my bed in misery thinking about how Dawson and Joey are having the time of their lives in California and I'm stuck here in Capeside with absolutely nothing to do." Grams smiled.   
"You miss them, don't you?" she said, standing up and heading towards the kitchen. 

"I guess so. It's weird, I've never really had real friends to miss before." Jen followed Grams into the kitchen, sighing with relief as she felt the cool air conditioner rush past her face. Grams reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope.   
"I wasn't going to tell you until later this week," she said. "But I have something for you." She handed the envelope to Jen.   
"You really didn't have to get me anything," Jen said, accepting the envelope and looking at the loopy script on the front, which read 'My Dearest Jennifer.'   
"Oh, nonsense. It's a graduation gift." Grams wiped her hands on her apron and smiled. "Go ahead, open it." Jen carefully tore the seal on the envelope, taking out a plane ticket.   
"Oh, my God!" she breathed. "It's a ticket to California!"   
"I thought you'd want to visit your friends," Grams told her. "Your flight leaves next Friday. You'll stay for a week." Jen threw her arms around Grams, grinning wildly.   
"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed graciously. "I really appreciate this." Grams smiled and stroked Jen's hair lovingly.   
"I'm so proud of you, Jennifer. You've become such a fine young woman. Graduating in the top half of your class, making a good group of friends, applying to college. Enjoy yourself in California. You deserve it." 


End file.
